Taiwan is developing an artificial intelligence-based system for autonomous coordination of drone groups capable of conducting long-duration maritime patrols and countering China's "gray zone" operations. Developers have already completed computer modeling of the simultaneous operation of 20 drones.
This is reported by the South China Morning Post citing Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council (OAC), which presented the results of the research project on October 26.
The system is being developed by a team from National Cheng Kung University with financial support from the OAC. The project involves the use of artificial intelligence, autonomous control technologies, and coordination of flights of multiple drone groups.
The main feature of the system is the ability of drones to independently distribute tasks, plan routes, and coordinate their actions without constant operator intervention. For this, developers apply multi-agent reinforcement learning technology, which allows the unmanned aerial vehicles to jointly make decisions.
The system also includes automatic obstacle avoidance and route adjustment based on flight conditions.
The project uses digital models of three American drones - JUMP 20, V-BAT, and Flexrotor. All of them combine vertical takeoff and landing capabilities with long-flight using fixed-wing aircraft design.
According to the OAC, researchers have already successfully simulated the simultaneous control of two groups with a total of 20 drones. To prevent collisions, algorithms for controlling distance between vehicles were incorporated into the system, including a minimum vertical separation of about 30 meters.
The next stage will involve testing the software with real hardware, integrating prototypes, and flying over the sea. These tests should confirm the system's reliability under various weather conditions. The timeline for completion of development and start of practical application has not been announced yet.
The Ocean Affairs Council emphasizes that the technology will enable surveillance of large maritime areas, strengthen the capabilities of the coast guard, and increase the effectiveness of search and rescue operations.
The development is also intended to help Taiwan counter China's "gray zone" tactics - actions aimed at increasing military and political pressure without transitioning to open armed conflict. Specifically, this concerns the activity of Chinese military and government vessels near the island.
Based on materials from: Ocean Affairs Council of Taiwan, Focus Taiwan (CNA), South China Morning Post
